Automatic generation of core files and automatic generation of support information with generation of core files

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an automatic generation of a support collateral as well as to an automatic generation of core files. In one embodiment, a support collateral is automatically generated when a core file is generated. The support collateral is information used to support diagnosis of potential problems. A computer appliance further includes a framework of rules organized by a subsystem. A subsystem is a functional component of the computer appliance. Rules are evaluated when an inflection point is encountered. An inflection point is a critical point in processing where processing is interrupted. A core file is generated for the computer appliance when indicated to do so by a rule.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention generally relates to the field of core file generation, and more particularly to automatic generation of core files and automatic generation of support information with generation of core files for computer appliances.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Computer appliances are devices with one or a few specific functions and limited ability to configure. A computer appliance may be an embedded system (a special-purpose system in which the computer is completely encapsulated by the device it controls). A router is an example of a computer appliance which forwards data packets across a network toward their destinations, through a process known as routing. A Network-Attached Storage (NAS) device is an example of a computer appliance which connects to a computer network to provide centralized data access and storage to a diverse range of differing network clients. A Storage Area Network (SAN) device is an example of a computer appliance whi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]Accordingly, the present invention is directed to automatic generation of a support collateral when generating a core file for a computer appliance. The present invention is also directed to automatic detection of potential problems with a computer appliance and automatic generation of core files to aid in diagnosis of the potential problems.

[0008]In another embodiment, a computer appliance includes a framework of rules. Rules in the framework of rules are evaluated when an inflection point is encountered. An inflection point is a critical point in processing where processing is interrupted. A core file is generated for the computer appliance when indicated to do so by a rule in the framework of rules. The framework of rules comprises sets of rules organized by a subsystem. A subsystem is a functional component of the computer appliance. Each set of rules includes a pointer to a matrix of rules for each subsystem. The rules have a rule level attribute and an inflection point level attribute and different levels of detail based upon rule level and inflection point level. Rules with different levels of detail based on inflection point levels allow for rules that are less burdensome to evaluate upon the occurrence of simpler, more frequent inflection points, such as interrupt, and more complex rules for more complex, less frequent inflection points, such as context switch. Rules of a specific rule level are evaluated. Rules with different levels of detail based on rule levels allows different levels of rule invasiveness for the entire computer appliance.

Problems solved by technology

Computer appliances are devices with one or a few specific functions and limited ability to configure.

Synchronous core files may not provide enough information to diagnose potential problems with a computer appliance.

Additionally, core files generated through software rather than hardware means may interfere with the running computer appliance, reducing the value of the core file that is generated for diagnosing potential problems with the computer appliance.

However, often a support collateral is not generated, is not generated correctly, or is not generated within sufficient proximity of time to the generation of the core file such that the support collateral supplements the core file in diagnosing potential problems with the computer appliance.

This results in unnecessary downtime for the computer appliance and in the inability to diagnose potential problems with the computer appliance efficiently.

A panic core dump occurs when a computer appliance encounters an unrecoverable error from which it cannot continue its operation.

However, if an error serious enough to cause a panic core dump has not occurred, a potential problem with a computer appliance may need to be discovered before a core file would be generated and utilized to diagnose the potential problem.

A computer appliance may have a problem, which is serious enough to impact performance, but is not serious enough to cause a panic core dump.

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